41-14 Win over Franklin ... On to NCAA Quarterfinals

Levell Coppage had 127
rushing yards at halftime for UW-Whitewater.
Photo by Ralph Greenslade for D3sports.com

Greg Arnold accounted for three turnovers and Levell Coppage
compiled his eighth career game of 200-plus rushing yards to key
UW-Whitewater's 41-14 win over Franklin College at Perkins Stadium
in Whitewater, Wis., Saturday in a National Collegiate Athletic
Association Division III second round playoff victory.

UW-W, 12-0, will host Salisbury University, 11-1 after a 49-47
triple overtime win over Kean University in a NCAA III quarterfinal
game, at noon CST Dec. 3 in Perkins Stadium.

Coppage rushed 26 times for 221 yards, moving his career total
to 7,381 yards -- moving past R.J. Bowers of Grove City (7,353,
1997-2000) into second place all-time in Division III. Nate Kmic of
Mount Union has the D-III record with 8,074 (2005-08).

Franklin had the ball at their 28, facing a third and 24, when
running back Reece Craig started right and was hit by Warhawk
defensive back Noah Timm, forcing a fumble that linebacker Greg
Arnold recovered at the Franklin 16. Two Coppage 8-yard runs and
Whitewater had a 7-0 lead with 6:11 left in the first quarter.

Franklin was on Whitewater's 41, facing third and 10, when
sophomore Jonny West's pass was picked off by Arnold at the 34 yard
line. Nine plays later, Coppage took it over from six yards out to
up Whitewater's lead to 14-0 with 13:21 in the half. Coppage
accounted for 48 of the 64 yards on the drive.

After the Warhawk defense forced a three-and-out, UW-W senior
quarterback Matt Blanchard switched it up a bit, hitting wide
receiver Tyler Huber for 21 yards, then connecting with Cory
Robinson for a 43-yard scoring pass, Whitewater's longest
completion of the day. Whitewater led 21-0 with 10:26 on the
clock.

Division III's all-time leading
rushers

Rusher

Yards

1. Nate Kmic, Mount Union

8,074

2. Levell Coppage, UW-Whitewater

7,381

3. R.J. Bowers, Grove City

7,353

4. Justin Beaver, UW-Whitewater

6,584

5. Carey Bender, Coe

6,125

Franklin roused its followers that made the six-hour drive with
a 13-play, 57-yard drive that consumed 4:04 and ended with a West
1-yard run with the Grizzlies facing fourth-and-1 at the 1-yard
line to make it 21-7 UW-W.

Whitewater went back to the formula that worked earlier, riding
Coppage for 48 of 56 yards on the drive, 27 coming on his third
scoring run of the day for a 28-7 lead with 3:04 showing.

Franklin wasn't done, using 62 yards and ten plays to cut the lead
in half. The touchdown came with the Grizzlies looking at
fourth-and-5 at the Whitewater 10. West passed to Keith Cunningham
for the score with just 0:20 on the clock to head into the locker
room with UW-W leading 28-14.

Whitewater's defense took away the running game from Franklin in
the first half, with the Grizzlies totaling minus-12 yards on 15
carries, but Franklin responded with 214 yards passing as West
completed 21 of 38 passes. Coppage rushed 14 times for 127 yards in
the half.

UW-W's opening drive of the second half was set up by Jared
Kiesow's 45 yard kickoff return to Franklin's 43 yard line. Coppage
accounted for all of the yards on the drive, six rushes and one
reception that led to a 23-yard field goal by Eric Kindler to put
UW-W up 31-14 with 10:25 in the third.

Franklin's next possession was halted again, by Arnold. Third and
eight at the Franklin 31, Arnold stepped into West's passing lane
and his interception, and 23-yard return, gave Whitewater the ball
at the Franklin 12. Three plays lost a total of 1 yard, and
Kindler's 30-yard field goal increased the Warhawks' lead to 34-14
with 8:02 left in the third quarter.

Whitewater wrapped up the scoring with a 70 yard drive. Coppage
rushed for 44 of those yards, and Blanchard and Huber accounted for
the final 26 yards for the final tally, 41-14 with 3:15 left in the
third.

Whitewater has faced Franklin three times in a year. In the first
round of the 2010 NCAA III playoffs, UW-W held the Grizzlies to
minus-11 yards rushing. In the second game of the 2011 season,
Franklin totaled 40 yards, and Saturday the Warhawks limited FC to
minus-5. In the three games Franklin has totaled 24 yards on 82
attempts (0.29/attempt). Arnold has four takeaways this year, with
all four of them coming in the two playoff games. He also had an
interception in last week's win over Albion College. Last week it
was linebacker Jaren Borland who had the big stats, with a 54 yard
fumble return to a touchdown and a 56 yard blocked punt that he ran
in for a touchdown.

The Grizzlies finished with 209 yards passing, with West going
1-for-10 for minus-5 yards in the second half. Franklin totaled two
yards of offense in the second half.

Franklin came into the game with 22 quarterback sacks (2.0/game)
and 73 tackles for a loss (6.3/game). UW-W's offensive line, which
had given up just six sacks this season, allowed just one sack and
three tackles for a loss. The Warhawk defense also had one sack
today, but added ten tackles for a loss.